August 17th

A peaceful night, with our goal now being to reach Astoria, OR at the mouth of the Columbia River.  Surprise, surprise .... we spent two hours trying to find a motel room in Astoria.  I guess we didn't realize that this was one of the last weeks of summer vacation before kids headed back to school.  Oh well, time to make another decision.  After checking motels along the coast and not finding any vacancies, we decided to push on.  We opted to go along the Columbia River toward the Kelso/Longview area, then heading north on I-5 to Centralia, then onto WA 507, 702, to highway 7 and home.  By now it was almost midnight and we were both exhausted.  We telephoned ahead letting Cindy and Mary know we were on our way home.

Even though the hour was late, lawn chairs were set up in the driveway with adult beverages on hand to take the chill out of our bones.

WE MADE IT - WE MADE IT - WE MADE IT!  AND WE MADE IT SAFELY!

Another item can be crossed off our "bucket lists". 

Reflections:

When you think about it this was quite an undertaking.  Not only did we cross America using mostly the backroads in a 51 year-old car, a car whose history was unknown to me, with absolutely no background information on maintanence, repairs, updates, etc.  We tried to anticipate potential problems by having in-depth maintainence done before the trip.  As it turned out things cropped up that we had no control over, e.g. fuel pump and alternator failures, inner tube valve stem failures, windshield wiper blade blowing off (the one time we needed it), ripping off exhaust hanger .... just to mention a few.  All in all the car performed admirably.  Yes, we had to monitor engine temperature on a regular basis, but this was to be expected since we crossed America during the hottest summer on record. 

I think what I will remember most about this trip are the hundreds of people that we met along the way; from the simple mountain folks in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee to miners in Kentucky, small and large farmers in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.  We truly saw America through the eyes of Norman Rockwell, something we would not have seen had we stayed on the interstates.  I don't know how many people had their pictures taken standing by the car, sitting in the driver's seat, husbands, wives, children, grandparents and grandchildren, all telling us their life experiences, their plights, their hopes, their dreams and an ocassional teary-eyed man who recalled those days of yesteryear when he drove a TR3 as a teenager.  I'd like to think we brought some joy into their lives.  I know they brought lots of joy into our lives.

This concludes the cross-country odyssey in the TR3A but it is not the end of the story.  For now it is time for my wife Cindy and I to be hosts to Russ and Mary and show them the beauties and splendor of the Pacific Northwest.  On our agenda are tours to Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, the city of Seattle, the Olympic Penninsula, and Victoria, B.C.

I hope you've enjoyed my blog.  I look forward to any comments.

August 16th

Today we continued along the California coast with stops at California State Redwood Parks as well as the Redwood National Park.  We made stops in Klamath and Garberville, Klamath being a small town on the edge of an Indian reservation and Garberville being a small "hippie town" that time forgot.  Specifically, the town seemed to be frozen in time in the 1970's.  As you walked through the town the poignant aroma of marijuana (yes, we knew what it was .... afterall, we grew up in the 60's and 70's) was everywhere.  VW Lovebugs and VW buses seemed to be the accepted mode of transportation.  Fashions also were from the '70's; long hair, tassled shirts, mumu dresses, sandals, large sunglasses, etc.

We pushed on to the Oregon border, stopping in Brookings, OR where we had an opportunity to visit one of my old friends whom I hadn't seen in 40 years.  After a brief brunch we continued on to Gold Beach where we arrived just in time to catch the afternoon 80-mile round trip jet boat ride up the Rogue River.  We were not disappointed with the amount of wildlife to be seen.  We encountered osprey, eagles, deer, bear, and even a cougar.  When we left Gold Beach the temperatures were in the 60's; when arrived 40 miles up-river we were in the 90's.  We didn't return to Gold Beach until after 6 p.m. at which time the temperatures were again in the 50's.  We had an exhausting day and were fortunate to find accommodations right on the shore of Gold Beach.

Another spectacular day.

August 15th

All good things must come to an end and today we continued our westward trek.  We drove through Lake Tahoe and on through the Donner Pass continuing westward on California highway 20 toward Yuba City.  From Yuba City we continued westward past Clear Lake, the town of Willits, where we caught U.S. 101 heading north through the coastal range to Eureka, CA on the coast.  We now encountered our first major temperature change.  Going through the coastal mountains the temp. dropped down to the low 50's.  We weren't ready for that.  We dug out our sweats and parkas in an effort to keep warm.  Can't believe it, one day in the 100's, the next day in the low 50's.  By the way the TR3A heating system works well.  Just a side note: on those ocassions where the car ran extremely hot, we turned on the heater and the fan to allow water to circulate through the heater core, thus providing additional cooling for the engine cooling system.  Unfortunately that meant our legs were roasting from the heat but the good news is that the engine never overheated. 

Basically we made it from Reno to the Pacific Ocean in one day, going through deserts, mountains, and finally cooler temps. along the coast.  We found lodging in Eureka and got a good night's rest.

August 13th and 14th

Today was going prove to be very interesting.  We heard many stories about the "loniest road".  Not only were we going through deserts and mountains exceeding eight thousand feet, but we also had to contend with temperatures above 105 degrees.  As we approached the Sand Mountain area, which is about fifty miles from "Fallon Naval Air Station" our solitude was interrupted by navy F-14's coming out of the north, flying across the highway in front of us and then dropping bombs off to our left.  It was disconcerting to say the least.  When we first saw these fighters, they crossed the highway and then shot straight up into the sky, followed by large booms, which we thought were sonic booms.  Just as we came to that conclusion, we realized these fighters had dropped bombs on targets just off to our left.  My hats off to these Navy flyboys - they hit their targets and gave us a spectacular view of their abilities.  We continued on to Fallon, Sparks, and finally came to Reno.  We hit Reno late in the afternoon with temperatures exceeding 105 degrees and our temp. gauge showed 235 plus.  Luckily we made it to the "Grand Siera" (formerly the MGM Grand) where we had complimentary hospitality rooms at our disposal for two nights.  Needless to say we never did catch up with rest as we spent many hours playing in the casino.  As luck would have it Russ and I held our own and walked away with money in our pockets. 

August 12th

Today started out with a "decison-making session"; which way to go?  West or south?  We opted to continue south heading to Twin Falls, ID.  It was here that an unusual phenomena ocurred.  The Triumph seemed to develop a mind of its own and directed us onto highway U.S.93 to Ely, NV.  This stretch with the Egan Range to our west and the Shell Creek Range to our east, was absolutely breath-taking.  We encountered very few automobiles and on ocassion saw no one for up to thirty minutes.  We didn't expect to have any difficulty finding a room in Ely, NV, afterall, it is not what you'd call a tourist town.  However, as we approached Ely, we encountered numerous hotrods and roadsters both approaching and leaving the town.  We knew something was up.  As we entered the town, the first thing that caught our attention, was that every motel was booked and no vacancies anywhere.  Thanks to a helpful clerk, we were directed to a small motel off the beaten path where we eventually got a room for the night.  However, this was not without difficulty.  Navigating through the small town of Ely was a virtual nightmare.  We drove past the park where a hotrod competition was taking place which explained some of the traffic.  However, talking with locals as we normally did when fuelling the car, we discovered the U.L.N.V. football team had their preseason football training camp in Ely.  Well, that explained the traffic!  We continued onto our motel and as entered the pot-holed driveway, the rear muffler exhaust clamp and hanger was torn off.  So before checking in I looked through my emergency travel kit and found I had sufficient clamps and hardware to reattach the exhaust.  As a matter of fact, it was more secure than the old system.  Needless to say, since we were in Nevada, there were casinos on every corner.  Russell found a Texas Hold-em table and I headed for some slots and Blackjack.  As before, at one of our previous casino stops, we both walked away winners.  There wasn't very much sleep that night and the next morning came quickly.  We were ready to tackle the "loniest road in America" at dawn.

August 11th

All we heard in the news for the last few days was the progress in finding the escaped felons from Arizona who were believed to be headed toward the Yellowstone area. We hoped that we would not encounter them. We approached Yellowstone from the east entrance by way of Cody, WY.  Before getting to Cody we had to go through the small town of Meeteetse. The town consisted of a gas station, two taverns, a grocery store and a church (this was the main part of town). As we're topping off the fuel tank we asked a passerby if there was any news regarding the escaped felons. She asked us to take five steps backward and then said "that's where we got one of them last night." It appears the felon earned some money working at the local church, then went on to the tavern where he became loud and obnoxious, drawing attention to himself, which prompted the locals to call the marshall. When the marshall showed up the escaped convict surrendered peacefully right there on the spot.

We continued through Cody, entering Yellowstone through the canyon at Pahaska, along the shores of Yellowstone Lake.  We decided to take the loop road via Inspiration Point, Tower Junction, Mammoth Hot Springs, Fountain Paint Pot, and of course Old Faithful.  The elevation gain and drop on this route brought us as low as four thousand feet and as high as eighty-nine hundred feet.  After Old Faithful we headed back north to highway 20, leaving the park through the west exit going through the corner of Montana, then heading south on U.S. 20 toward Idaho Falls.  We couldn't make Idaho Falls and decided to grab a room in Rexburg.  What a day!  Russ and I thoroughly enjoyed the splendors of Yellowstone.  It was truly an amazing national park.  When you think about it we spent a day driving over the most dangerous ground in America .... the Yellowstone caldera.  I guess if this volcanic region ever erupts it means the end of mankind; a hell of a thought. 

August 10th

We returned our rental car first thing in the morning and picked up the Triumph which now had air in all tires, including the spare.  After a quick breakfast we headed north by northwest toward Yellowstone by way of Casper, WY.  This was going to be one of the most difficult legs of our trip.  It meant through the Rockies fighting high temperatures and high altitude.  We made it through the mountains ok, stopping every couple of hours to allow the engine to cool down.  I adjusted the idle to keep from stalling.  The carbs were starving for air.  The trek from Casper to Yellowstone by way of route 20 was absolutely breath-taking with many stops along the way for photos and again talking with locals and bikers.  We made it as far as Thermopolis which still left us well over one hundred miles from the entrance to Yellowstone.  We stayed for the night in Thermopolis, home of the world's largest mineral hot springs.  We took full advantage of the hot springs, soaking in the hot mineral baths .... it was soothing and put us in the right frame of mind to continue our journey the next day. 

August 9th

Today we headed for Iowa and on into Nebraska. Russ and I agreed it would be better to stay out of South Dakota because of all the bikers on the road. Friendly as they have all been, there's just too many of them.

My son called today to warn us to use caution because there was an intense manhunt for three Arizona prizon escapees who were thought to be in the Yellowstone, WY area.

Once in Nebraska we drove parallel to I-90 and decided to continue this course as long as we could and eventually head north into South Dakota, hoping to find lodging for the night. Four hundred miles later we were hot, hungry and tired. Russ and I were beginning to feel hypnotized by the endless miles of corn fields so it was time to pull in for a break, stretch our legs and do some routine checks on the Triumph. It's a good thing we did because we found two of the tires leaking air at the valve stems. We were in Chadron, NE, less than 50 miles from the South Dakota state line. We added air to the tires and drove the car to the local tire repair shop "Quality Tire".  Dan Feist, the proprietor, searched his local distributor to try and locate some 165x15 inner tubes.  Of course, there were none to be found locally.  He did however find four tubes in Rapid City, SD.  Since we were in a small remote town, next-day delivery meant three to four days.  We opted to rent a car, drive to Rapid City, pick up the tubes and head back to Chadron, NE.  We picked up our rental car (Ford Focus) and proceeded to Rapid City.  Picked up the tubes and decided that since we now had a car with windows, power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning, that we use the opportunity to tour Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse parks.  We were not prepared for the well over one million motorcyclists that all converged on the area from Sturgis.  The parking lots at these areas were filled to capacity with not only the usual summer tourists, but also with additonal one million plus Harley Davidson riders that came in waves from Sturgis, SD.  We didn't stop at Rushmore; it was just too crowded but were able to find parking at Crazy Horse monument.  We were fortunate to have had a car with a/c as the temperatures climbed well over 100 degrees again.  As the day concluded we headed back to Chadron, NE which was well over one hundred miles.  We dropped off the tubes and checked in for the night at the hotel. 

August 8th
We had a wonderful time with my son and daughter-in-law in Kansas City. We enjoyed a nice breakfast with them and afterward my son drove the car around the parking lot for a while. He seemed impressed and took lots of pictures. We wish we could stay longer but we have to get going. We'll be heading north into Iowa and have decided to go through Nebraska instead of South Dakota because of the hundreds and hundreds of motorcyclists travelling to Sturgis.

As has been the case so far, the sun is brutal and late afternoon is the worst. We made it to Freemont, Nebraska. In the morning we'll stay in northern Nebraska and decide whether or not to head up to the Black Hills in South Dakota.

August 7th
We made it to the Gateway Arch in St.Louis but were very disappointed that the lines were very long to get into the arch to the elevator. After waiting in line for almost two and a half hours just to get inside the arch we found that we had at least another hour or so wait to go up in the elevator. Standing in line that long, our patience grew thin and we could wait no more, but not before getting several pictures of the arch from ground level. We decided to hit the road and head for Kansas City, MO. My son and his wife live there so we arranged to meet up with them for breakfast the next morning.

We had driven approximately 168 miles from Metropolis to St. Louis and were hoping to make Kansas City (another 250 miles) by dinner time, however heading west was brutal because we had the sun right in our line of vision and finally pulled into Boonville, just one hundred miles from Kansas City.

We've seen hundreds of motorcycles on the road and learned that this coming week (9th - 15th) is the big rally in Sturgis, SD. That may change our plans to see the Black Hills or for that matter, even finding accommodations. It's been very hot and humid most of the way which is sometimes very wearing on us, but the Triumph has been doing very well even in the intense heat.

People along the way continue to be very friendly, waving and cheering us on. Earlier we had a group of young studs rev up past us, holding up a sign which said "show us your ----". My thought was that as they approached us from behind, they saw Russ at the wheel and I was sporting a floppy-rimmed hat to keep the sun off my head and neck. I guess they thought I was a young lady. Boy, were they surprised when they saw it was me and how quickly that sign was withdrawn. It was pretty funny. I told Cindy about it and she said I should have lifted my shirt anyway.

August 6th
As Willie Nelson sang, we're "on the road again" this morning, heading northwest toward Kentucky, with hopes of seeing the Mammoth Caves. One hundred Ninety plus miles later and closer to the caves, we missed our exit. We turned into the nearest driveway to change direction and while backing out the left rear wheel went into a ditch; we were stuck. We meandered up to the house at the end of the driveway, and thanks to the very kind gentleman who lived there, were able to call a tow truck to haul us out; we didn't want to damage the undercarriage of the car. As it turns out, the gentleman in the house said it happens all the time since people are always using his driveway to turn around.

The Mammoth Caves were amazing! We're glad we didn't miss it. It's the longest cave system in the world and talk about a geological wonder.

We continued west another hundred ninety miles into Illinois and experienced the strangest "steering problem" in the town of Metropolis. Turning the steering wheel didn't seem to make any difference and it was the darndest thing that when we finally came to a stop we found ourselves in Harrahs Casino parking lot! Just kidding .... the steering was fine, but we told Cindy and Mary that we had a steering problem - that it must have been fate that we found ourselves in the casino parking lot. We did a little gambling and took advantage of a delicious buffet dinner. Wherever you go in Metropolis, Superman is the theme everywhere. Tomorrow we'll head toward St. Louis, MO with hopes of going up into the Gateway Arch.

August 4th

Mark from BPC Motorworks said he'd call when the car was ready but the call didn't come and by late afternoon we were feeling a bit anxious. In fact, he didn't call until the next afternoon (August 4th) with the bad news that the fuel pump also needed to be replaced but the good news was that the Triumph was ready to go. Russ and I took off for BPC to pick up the car and what a difference in performance! We packed up our gear once again and planned to leave in the wee hours of the morning. We had a leisurely dinner with our lovely ladies, Cindy and Mary, then settled in for a few winks before our departure. We left at 1:30 in the morning on August 5th.

August 5th
Our first stop was Stone Mountain in Georgia, well known not only for its geology but for the enormous bas-relief on its north face. We couldn't miss seeing the three figures of the confederate states of America: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. The TR3A performed great the 282 miles from Hilton Head, SC to Stone Mountain. We continued north another 240+ miles and pulled in for the night in Caryville, TN. No matter where we went, on freeways or back roads, we attracted attention from passersby. People couldn't help but gawk at the two big men in the little red Triumph, waving to us as we passed by. At the motel in Caryville a crowd of curious people congregated around the car, asking questions, admiring the Triumph, wanting their pictures taken next to the car, and wishing us well on our trip ahead. It's a burden, but someone has to do it! (We love every moment)

Day I The Journey Almost Begins

Today the adventure started at 5:00am. Unfortunately things didn't go as planned. Within 3 miles the car started to develop a severe engine miss. The car finally stalled and needed a jump start so we could return home to see what was wrong. After returning with our heads low we expected that the ladies would lecture us and try to talk us out of this trip. As it turned out there were no snigh remarks...everyone was more interested in what was wrong. We found a loose battery ground cable which was promptly tightened. A quick electrical check revealed low charging voltage (less than 13volts) but charging nontheless. We decided to give it another try. We said our farewells and set off again.

This time we managed to get 30 miles before the engine developed a severe miss and the amp gauge went to 30+ amps and stuck in that position. Something had changed...and changed radically. Russ and I decided to head back to Hilton Head to BPC Motorworks where a complete charging system check could be performed. The drive was a test of Russ's patience and driving ability. He was not dismayed and although at times he had to drive on the shoulder (here there was one available) he got us to the shop in Hilton Head. Of course, now we had to call our ladies and tell them once again that we were broken down. Needless to say, this was a difficult phone call to make as now we were 4 hours into our trip and we hadn't gotten out of town. And to make matters worse they had to come and pick us up while we waited for the outcome of the charging system check. As we suspected the alternator was the culprit. Now there was only battery voltage...NO OUTPUT from the alternator. Mark from BPC motors had a heck of a time getting this retro-fit alternator dismounted which involved removing the carburetors and squeezing this 6 inch wide alternator thru a 5 inch opening. He finally got it out so the part and number could be identified. As luck would have it, the local Napa store had one in stock and at this writing was delivering it to the shop. If all goes well, it will be installed this pm and we may have another chance to start this trip again tomorrow. It was a disappointing day of course but Russ and I are glad it happened now than in the middle of the mountains or deserts of this big country. We are still optimistic and our spirits are not dampened.

Waiting for parts in South Carolina

TODAY IS THE TOMORROW I WORRIED ABOUT YESTERDAY
Good News and bad news:
The good news:
Both the clutch and brake master cylinders have been replaced, Clutch and brakes work well.

The bad news:
Record high temperatures here in Hilton Head South Carolina. You can fry bacon and eggs on the hood of the car. On the way back from the shop the car overheated...the temp gauge showed 235 F. I checked the engine block, cylinder head, radiator, water pump area and various points on the engine with a portable lase thermometer. The coolant and head was at 202F..it was not boiling..BUT there was so much heat in the engine compartment that the fuel in the carburetors was turning into a massive vapor lock. After letting the car sit for an hour I was able to start the car and after about one mile the fuel system was cleared of bubbles and started to run normally. If this heat wave continues we will change our route plans and stick to the northern states. Even though the thermostat, water pump, and the retro-fit electric radiator cooling fan are all working properly these temperatures are too much for this car to handle.

And yet another inconvenience:
wires at headlight dimmer switch keep falling off ( been bent too many times by left foot hitting it). Also, the main light switch fails intermttantly. Got both coming in overnight but won't be installed till Monday. Looks like we won't get underway till the early hours Tuesday morning.

The journey begins

After a long 6 month wait the odyssey is about to begin. Arrived in Hilton Head SC yesterday anxious to begin this cross country trek only to be confronted by some unexpected bad news. The TR3A has developed some problems just sitting in this 100 degree F weather. First the clutch master cylinder failed and then the brake master cylinder upon closer inspection was also leaking fluid into the interior of the car. Of course, this all has to happen 2 days before our departure. The parts were overnighted to SC and repairs completed. Needless to say I am getting nervous ....hate having last minute things go wrong. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Phase II ( Preparation)

The TR3A is now in the capable hands of BPC Motorworks in Hilton Head SC for the gear oil leak repair ( pinion shaft seal) and universal joint replacement. Russell started the car last week (with some difficulty, I might add) and drove the car to BPC Motors to meet with Mark Stern the proprietor. I spoke with Mark yesterday and got an update. Seal and U-joint have been replaced...starting difficulty is being addressed. He's going to install an electric fuel pump in hopes that will aid starting. It was also noted that the car has electronic ignition ( apparently installed at the time of restoration about 5 years ago). Also, the ignition wires are solid wire type and I've asked they be replaced with carbon wires. I hope this will aid with starting difficulties. The battery apparently only held a surface charge and was probably sulphated. It has been replaced as well. Russell also confirmed my observation that the car appears to run hot according to the gauge. I thought it wise to have the thermostat replaced and coolant temp checked to see that it opens and closes at proper temp. By the way, the radiator also has an electronic cooling fan that is thermostatically controlled. I know it comes on and cycles . I just don't know at what temperature. Just one more thing on the list of things to do.
It's hard to believe that we are in the 2nd week of March already. The good news is that preparations are going as planned. Just hope there are no last minute surprises.

Triumph TR3A Odyssey

The Cross-Country Odyssey



Phase 1 "The Dream"

It all started one day in December 2009 while visiting Sarasota / Bradenton Florida. I live in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in the state of Washington. Sarasota is about as far away from my home as I can travel here in the contiguous 48 states.

While waiting for a flight to return home to Washington my wife and I had some time to kill so we took in some of the local sights. One of the local attractions was the Vintage Car Museum of Bradenton which was right next to the airport. As I looked at these vintage beauties my mind was jumping back to those wonderful days of yester-year. Mind you, I'm a 65 year-old man, and when I talk about "yester-year", I'm talking about my teenage years in the 60's. In those days my good friend Russ, whom you will get to know as this saga continues, was the proud owner of a TR3 which inspired me to buy a GT6 a few years later. I look back with fondness on those years, motoring around in what I considered true sports cars. A lot of years have passed since then and I've often yearned to feel the wind blowing through my hair (while I still have some) while driving a British roadster again. My wife Cindy kept reminding me of all the inconveniences which were inherent to that era of sports car, i.e. poor heating, no air conditioning, rough suspension, water leaking in from all sides, no power steering, and the list goes on. Not to mention the fact that getting in and out of one of these cars was much easier at the age of 17 than at the age of 65. All good points I might add. But for some reason, which is still not clear to me, I chose to ignore all these valid points while I was day-dreaming and drooling at some beautiful roadsters before me. I have to digress at this point. I ask you, have you ever looked at something and have a light go off and some out-of-body experience that has no rhyme, reason, or logic takes over? Well, that is exactly what happened to me. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, I found myself in front of a red 1960 Triumph TR3A roadster. A strange thing happened, I heard it calling me. Very few words were exchanged, it simply said "we belong together." I made some inquiries but didn't pursue it at this point. It was just a dream. However on the flight home the words "we belong together" kept echoing in my mind. By the time I got home my course was clear. I had to have this car. After all, who am I to argue with destiny?

Decisions were made and I purchased the car, a car I had never even started or driven. What was I thinking? Now, reality set in. Does it even run? What is the car's history? What does it need to make it roadworthy? Suddenly another thought entered my mind; How will I get this car to Washington state? I suppose I could ship it via car transporter or ? ... at this precise moment a multi-faceted plan began to formulate in my mind. I remembered that my good friend Russ had just retired to the Hilton Head area in South Carolina. I looked at a map, did some quick calculations, and figured "what the heck", I can drive the car to Hilton Head, leave it there until summer, and then fly out to pick it up and drive it cross-country. I was also hoping that when I revealed this plan to Russ, he being the good friend that he is , wouldn't let me undertake this odyssey alone and would insist on accompanying me. I was not disappointed. No sooner had I disclosed my plan to him when he insisted that he accompany me. We were like two kids planning an adventure.

However, the more I thought about it, I realized that this was no small undertaking. After all, this car is 50 years old and even though it had gone through a restoration some five years ago, there were other factors to consider such as the condition of the drive-train, suspension, tires, tune-up, cooling system, electrical system, etc. The more I dwelled on it, the more I thought my plan was not well thought out and more time was needed just to get the car road-worthy for the 450 mile trek from Sarasota, Florida to Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Before flying out to pick up the car I was very fortunate to have a repair shop referred to me that specializes in vintage British cars. I couldn't believe my luck. I contacted the owner of "Twin Cam Sportscars" in Sarasota to have some of the essential components checked before driving off to Hilton Head. Well, I'm glad I had the car checked out. There were major suspension components that were loose, wheel alignment was way off, wheel bearings in need of grease, valves that needed adjusting, spare tire needed to be mounted, which by the way, is no small undertaking. The "cubby" where the spare tire is stored could only accommodate a 5.90 x15 tire but my choice of tire, even for a spare, was a 165 x15 radial. Since I wanted this tire I had to have some modifications made which consisted of putting a floor jack in the cubby, sandwiched between two pieces of plywood and gingerly raising the top of the cubby opening so that the larger tire would fit in. The best I could do was to enlarge the opening enough so that a deflated 165 x 15 tire could be jammed in the cubby opening. Of course this means I have to carry a couple of cans of compressed air to inflate the spare should I need it. I hope that this is a solution to my spare problem. I suppose I could have opted for a 5.90x15 spare. After some additional maintenance items and minor repairs I got the word that the car was ready. I flew to Sarasota picked up the car and was now ready for the first road trip with my TR3A. I decided to stay off the Interstate highways and use the state and US highways. I needed time to get familiar with the car's handling and general driveability. My First stop was Jacksonville Florida where I had planned to spend a night with my dear friends, Anita and Siggi.  I breathed easier as I rolled into town. I was half way to Hilton Head and no incidents. My only complaint was the outside air temperature ( 27 to 35 degrees F).  What happened?  This is supposed to be the warm south.  It was one of the coldest Januaries on record for that part of the world. But at least I was fortunate to make my drive between rain storms ( for a while I thought I might see snow). As I was checking out the car at Anita and Siggi's after a night's rest I found a small puddle of gear oil under the differential (about 1 ounce I surmised). I figured since I was half way to my Hilton Head destination that I would probably be OK. I'd have it looked at in Hilton Head. I rested for a day and spent some time with my old friends, not giving any more thought to the oil leak.

It was here in Jacksonville that Anita's granddaughter presented me with a gift for the car.  She donated a teddy bear which we named Victor.  He was to be our mascot for our cross-country trip in the summer.  (By the way, we named our car Victoria, so now Victor and Victoria are united.)
The trip from Jacksonville to Hilton Head went much smoother and faster as I was now more comfortable with the car and I had decided to use Interstate 95. What a blast to drive the car at freeway speeds! Acceleration and performance were as I remembered. I was not disappointed. As a matter of fact I'm going to have to get a degree wheel and measure valve openings when I get back to Washington as I suspect there might be a "hot" cam in this engine. This also explains the loping at idle...a little more than I remember.

There were no incidents along the way and I arrived safely at my friends' Russ and Mary's new home in Hilton Head.

After a good nights rest it was time to check out the differential and see just how bad the oil leak had gotten. The bad news: lots more gear oil under the car. The good news: at least the differential didn't run dry...as it still had oil in it at the end this 450 mile trip.

I knew I had to fly back to Seattle in a couple of days but I wanted to line up a repair facility to replace the differential pinion shaft seal (assuming that's all that was wrong). You'd think it would be easy to find a shop that could do the repair. Russ and I made inquiries and got a few names of foreign car repair shops but we knew nothing about them. I wasn't prepared to bring the car to any old shop. Not only that, I knew that I'd better first order the parts necessary for the repair ahead of time from The "Roadster Factory". I figured that the chances of a local repair shop having the proper seal was probably remote. So I ordered the differential seal and a new universal joint while I was at it. But I still needed to find a trusted repair shop.

I was running out of time and had to fly back to Seattle. At least "phase 1" was complete. The car is safe in Russell's garage in Hilton Head SC.

After returning to Seattle I started looking up local Triumph organizations in South Carolina and Georgia hoping that I would make contact with someone who could help me find a quality repair shop. I found a website for the Georgia Triumph Association (GTA) and came across the name of the director Jim Orr whom I contacted by email. Within a matter of hours Jim had contacted a fellow club member Ronnie Babbitt who also happens to be on the board of the "Vintage Triumph Register" national sports car club. Between the two of them I was now armed with a name and location of of a trusted repair shop,which as it turned out, is only a 10-15 minute drive from Russ's house. We've already contacted the shop ("BPC Motors" in Hilton Head) and as soon as the parts arrive we'll schedule the repairs.

In the meantime I have also joined the local triumph club here in Washington, the "Tyee" triumph club of Washington and am already looking forward to becoming an active member.

To be continued: